Worcester County Championships 2013
12 Mar 2013
Pershore Swimmers four mouth watering days at the races.
Pershore swimmers enjoyed the best ever results at this year's County (Hereford & Worcester) Swimming Championship from the first four days of five with the their medal haul being their first overall County Championship trophy, twelve County Age Group Championship records, fifty six placing medals with thirty of them gold, eighteen silver and sixteen bronze placing the Pershore club amongst the elite of the two Counties and yet only a quarter to half of the size of other clubs. With nearly ninety personal bests (pb's) being achieved,
The girl's medals came from nine year old Megan Annis in her first championships winning Gold in the in the 50m Fly (41.32), Silver in the 50m free (36.51) and two bronze championship medals in the 100m Individual Medley (IM) in 1.34.85 and 50m breaststroke (48.49). Another nine year old Hannah Woodcock too several 4th places just out of the medals but set impressive pb's in each of her four swims whilst elder sister Isabella aged ten took two Golds and a Silver in the breaststroke events being in the 50m breast (43.75), 100m breast (1.33.92 and being 10th in her UK end of ranking .. eyr) and silver in the 200m breast in 3.30.27 not surprisingly all pb's once again.
Nine year old Charlotte Downey having qualified in eight county championship events proved she had the staying power for the long distance events winning silver medals in three events being the 200m breast (3.53.71), 200m IM (3.24.63) and in the 200m back (3.16.19) with 5th and 6th places in others again another startling debut.
The other young starlet of the Pershore team was ten year old Naomi Marsden whilst setting some great pb's went on to win the girls 50m Back (37.54) Gold with two Silver medals in the 100m and 200 backstroke events with 1.22.17 and 2.54.77 respectively, finishing with all three colours taking bronze in the 100m freestyle and together with good swims in the 100m IM and 200m Free now joins the club's elite contingent to qualify for the prestigious Midland Districts Championships (covering 9 Counties) in June.
Multi event qualifiers often finishing just outside podium positions were Lizzie Vizard, Isobel Cumming, Amy Weston, Ella Spencer all adding to the incredible 43pb's from the girls alone together with thirteen year old Tazmin Pugh. Tazmin was on the winning trail from day one finishing day four with eleven Golds and three Silver medals and yet still with another two long distance events to go. In taking these eleven age group titles Tazmin recorded the following times in the 50m Back (31.26) and Butterfly (30.08), 100m Back (1.07.86) and Butterfly 100m (1.08.32) and 400m IM (5.19.87), 200m Freestyle (2.12.62), 400m free (4.43.77 & 4thin UK eyr), 50m free (29.04 & 10th UK eyr), 200m IM (2.33.65 & 10th eyr), and 200m back (2.24.91 & 5th in UK eyr).
For the boys Chris Vizard, Josh Sharratt, Owen Leeks, Luke Betteridge, Angus Jones, Jake Spencer, Patrick Heeks, Callum Sanderson, Josh Lane qualifying in as many as 7 events each helped set the boy's similar figure to the girls of 43 pb's between them. Also trying to fit in events was fourteen year old Harry Sykes having to compete in the fifteen year division. Sykes had to compete the County Swimming Champs the day following coming 7th in the National ISA Cross Country Championships and the following Saturday competing for Great Britain in his first full International Pentathlon 'Youth B' impressing selectors once again by individually coming 5th whilst helping his Gt Britain 'B' team come 3rd behind GBR 'A' in 1st place and Egypt 2nd with Germany, Kazakstan, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Latvia trailing in their wake. In the event Sykes set a great new personal best in the 100m Free with 59.88.
The two swimming stars for Pershore boys, however, were ten year olds Simon Sweatman and William Gearey the latter taking eight Silver medals in the boys 10 yr age group 200m Free (2.37.86), 50m Back (39.41), 100m Back (1.24.22) and 100m IM (1.25.92), 200m Back (2.56.50 & 9th eyr), 50m Free (32.50 & 3rd eyr), 400m Free (5.35.85 & 4th eyr) and 200m IM (3.06.27 & 6th in the UK eyr) with Bronze in the 50m Fly (38.74) and 50m Breast (47.93) and works extra hard in training to stay with one of the UK's top swimmers his club mate Simon. On Simon reaching his 11thbirthday William's then comes into his own for a full six months until his birthday and take over at the top of the British ranking winning his own ten year age group titles at Open Meets.
Possibly making the biggest impression in the entire County Championships though was ten year old age superstar Simon Sweatman for in taking what is possibly an unprecedented fourteen titles, two silver medals together with seven Championship Records and every single one a pb should truly be a moment to savour for every swimmer across the Counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire especially his club mates at Pershore, Abbey Park Middle School and Simon's proud family in particular.
Simon took the 10 yr age group titles in the 100m Individual Medley IM (1.19.03 & 4th in UK together with Championship Record); the 50m Fly ( 23.71 & 1st in UK) and 100m Fly (1.23.42 & 4th in UK); 50m Back (35.42 & 2nd in UK) and 100m Back (1.15.82 & 1st in UK together with Championship Record) together with the 200m Freestyle (2.28.03 & 5th in UK together with Championship Record) and the 400m IM (6.03 59 & 5thin UK). The list goes on 200m back (2.41.99 & 1st UK together with Championship Record), 50m free (30.56 & 2nd UK together with Championship Record), 200m fly (3.15.42), 400m free (5.13.93 & 6th UK together with Championship Record), 50m breast (46.43), 200m IM (2.51.66 & 4thUK) and finally the 100m free (1.07.57 & 1st UK together with Championship Record ).